title: Association of oral mucositis with quality of life and symptom clusters in patients with solid tumors receiving chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to determine whether or not oral mucositis (OM) during active chemotherapy in patients with solid tumors is representative of the patient's quality of life (QOL) and the suffering from adverse effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 2007 to September 2008, we prospectively enrolled 344 consecutive patients with solid tumors who initiated a new chemotherapy regimen. OM, other adverse effects, and the QOL were surveyed by face-to-face interviews and patient diaries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OM developed during 175 of 633 cycles (27.7%). Forty-five percent of the patients experienced OM during two cycles of chemotherapy. The QOL in patients with OM was significantly lower than patients without OM, as evaluated by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (70.26 ± 15.36 and 75.09 ± 13.12, respectively; p < 0.001). Specifically, the physical and emotional well-being was lower in patients with OM compared with patients without OM. Moreover, other adverse effects were more frequent in chemotherapy cycles with OM compared with chemotherapy cycles without OM (amount of food intake, activity, nausea, vomiting, fever, myalgias, and sensory neuropathy; p < 0.001, p = 0.008, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.002, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OM represents poor QOL and is a basic symptom of symptom clusters in patients with solid tumors receiving active chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Su-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sae-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Do-Youn
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Se-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong-Wan
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seock-Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Tae-You
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Seog
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Yung-Jue
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Bang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents